To quote Terrell Owens, "Get your popcorn ready!" The New York Jets and the New England Patriots will renew their heated rivalry this weekend in the Meadowlands. Both teams come into the game atop of the AFC East, both posting a 1-0 record. New England, in true Bill Belichick form, are treating the game as just another game on the schedule. While the trash talking, Rex Ryan led Jets are treating it like Armageddon. Which as a Jets fan you have to love. He sure does talk a good game.

The Jets are coming off a very dominating performance in Houston last week and are amped up for Sunday. They totally shut down a very good Texans offense. While the Patriots were two minutes away from a loss against the Bills, until Buffalo KR Leodis McKelvin fumbled a kickoff which led to another Tom Brady comeback win. Both teams will be ready to play and play hard on Sunday.

Mark Sanchez is now being called "Sanchise" after his solid performance in his first game last week in Houston. The Jets rookie quarterback picked apart the Texans for 272 yards and a touchdown. 191 of those yards came on 3rd down. But just like the Jets teams of the past, Sanchez will have his hands full with the Patriots defense. Rookie quarterbacks always seem to have a hard time with Belichick's defenses. The offensive line should have a slightly easier time then in the past with the absence of DE Richard Seymour, who was recently traded to the Raiders. Sanchez has a pocket presence about him after watching last weeks game. As long as the offensive line can give him some time, he will be able to find his open receivers.

The Jets receivers did a good job of finding openings in the Texans secondary and they will need to do the same this week. Jets TE Dustin Keller was the teams leading receiver last week with 94 yards. He should be able to find openings across the middle with Patriots LB Jerod Mayo out with an injury. It's not that the Patriots do not have good role players, but the loss of Mayo and Seymour is something the Jets need to take advantage of.

Jets number one receiver Jerricho Cotchery will most likely be matched up with CB Shawn Springs, so don't expect a huge game from him. Chansi Stuckey, who had a good game himself last week, will need to take pressure off Cotchery and make some plays himself. I think the key for the Jets will be to have Brad Smith and David Clowney involved in the passing game this week. Neither one recorded a catch last week. Smith could be a key for Sanchez and the offense this week.

The passing game may be tested in a big way if Gang Green can not get the running game going. Thomas Jones picked up right where he left off last season by posting another 100 yard game last week. He will be leaned on to get the offense started this week behind a strong offensive line. He will be up against a Patriots defensive line that surrendered 90 yards on the ground against the Bills. Since the start of last season Jones has been pretty consistent at putting up 90 yards a game and I don't think that will change this week.

It took two season, but Leon Washington finally got more than 10 touches in a game. He was able to gain 60 yards on 15 carries against the Texans. Throw in 4 catches for 24 yards and I'd say he had a good day. And that does not include what he does on special teams. Any way you slice it, Leon has to get the ball at least 12 times against New England. Even if it's in the "Wildcat" which the Jets ran a few times last week. He is a main key to any success the Jets will have in 2009.

What more can you say about the way New York's defense played last week. They totally dominated the Texans offense and shut out that side of the ball. If that was their "A" game, then they need to bring their "A+" game this week. Unfortunately for Rex Ryan and the Jets defense, Tom Brady is no Matt Schaub. Brady is a master at picking apart a weak spot in a defense, so the Jets better not show any holes in their defense. Just like last week, the defense needs to send a message early. On the Texans first series, Jets LB Bart Scott buried his helmet in Shaub's chest after a pass attempt to set a tone. And it worked. They must send a similar message this week. A good thing for the Jets is the return of DE Shaun Ellis from his one game suspension this week. The defensive line was great last week and now you add Ellis back to it.....scary.

CB Darrelle Revis will be matched up with WR Randy Moss and should be able to keep him in check most of the game. The key for the secondary will be to keep an eye on WR Wes Welker and TE Benjamin Watson. Watson put up 2 touchdowns last week and is always a threat in the red zone. Welker had 12 catches for 93 yards last week, but did have a few key drops on 3rd and 4th down. With a potential neutralized Moss, stopping Welker and Watson is crucial.

The Patriots running game is inconsistent at best. RB's Laurence Maroney and Fred Taylor did not have the best showing against the Bills. Combined they were only able to rush for 55 yards. Kris Jenkins and the Jets "D" line was able to hold Steve Slaton to just 17 yards on 9 carries. They totally dominated the line of scrimmage. With the way they played and the return of Ellis I don't really see the Patriots running game being a huge factor in this game.

Patriots - Jets is always a huge game for both teams. The main reason is the divisional matchup and the standings afterword. It just always seems to be a little bit bigger for the Jets. They are the ones with something to prove, not New England. The Jets need to focus on: 1) controlling the game clock. Let the running game do its thing and eat up that clock. 2) Try to contain the Brady to Welker connection. They wont be able to stop it, but try to limit the damage. 3) Start drives with good field position. This is something the Jets have done pretty well over the past two seasons with Leon Washington. If they can execute these things, then I think they can win this game and stop the 8 game losing streak at the Meadowlands. If they don't execute, then Brady can have a field day and this game could be over by halftime. I say the Jets stick to the game plan from last week and squeak out a 20-17 win on Sunday. They have the talent and the attitude, but they need to execute.

It's finally here...the Jets vs. the Patriots with first place in the AFC East on the line. This is what we Jets fans have been waiting for, a late season matchup against the reigning AFC champs with a chance to put them in out rear view mirror. This is the reason why the Jets got Brett Favre and all the other big names in the off-season, to beat New England in a game that matters. The Jets have been getting knocked around by the Patriots ever since Tom Brady took over the reigns. The Jets have been rolling the past three weeks and have plenty of momentum heading up to Foxborough on Thursday night.

Brett Favre, the old gunslinger, came here for a chance to win one more before he rides off into the sunset. This is the game the Jets really need him to step up and flash some of that "Favre magic". Last week against the Rams, Favre played a well managed game. He threw for only 167 yards and a touchdown, but no interceptions. They did not need him to do a lot with Thomas Jones running all over the field. Brett has seen a ton of these games during his career, more than any of his teammates have. The bottom line is that he is a winner and should be able to lead gang green to a win. The offensive line has also played a lot better in recent weeks. They have not allowed a sack the past two weeks, which has allowed Favre to cut down on his mistakes (one interception in the past two games). Jones has also benefitted from this as well. He now leads the AFC in rushing with 750 yards. However, the best part of the Patriots defense is their defensive line. If the Jets are to have any success on Thursday, then they need to somehow establish the running game.

As long as Favre is upright, then I expect the passing game to have success in this game. The Patriots have no Rodney Harrison or Adalius Thomas playing in the game and the Jets need to expose that. Laveranues Coles and Jerricho Cotchery are both having very solid seasons for Jets. I expect them to be a huge part of the offense in this game. Coles is always up for big games and he should be amped up for this one. Another option that emerged for Favre is Dustin Keller. He had his best game of the season last week against St. Louis to a tune of 6 receptions for 107 yards. The Jets are very high on their first round draft pick, especially after the game the just had. With Keller emerging and Chansi Stuckey out there, New York has plenty of good options for Favre to throw to. The difference between this game and the game in week two is that the offense is finally on the same page. The first time they played this season Favre did not know the playbook and the Jets were still meshing as a team. Favre knows what is going on now and the offensive line is really clicking with each other at the right time.

As usual, the defense will have its work cutout for them. In week two, Matt Cassel was making his first career start in the NFL and played a very smart game for the Patriots. He threw for 165 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions, not flashy but it got the job done. He still has Wes Welker and Randy Moss to throw the ball to. The Jets need to find a way to slow them down. They will have some help this week with the free agent acquisition of Ty Law. He may not play all that much with only two days to prepare, but he is a veteran and knows both teams well. He also may not be a shut down corner anymore, but with him on one side and Darrelle Revis on the other, the Jets secondary will be much improved for the rest of the season. One of the keys will be to limit Welker as much as they can. Even if that means giving Moss one or two deep ones in the process. Welker helps that offense go. He is their go to guy on third down. Slow him down and they should be able to slow down the whole offense.

The defensive line, which in one of the tops in the NFL, needs to get pressure on Cassel. The Jets are second in the NFL in sacks with 31. Shaun Ellis is quietly having a pro-bowl season for New York, leading the team with seven sacks. The defensive MVP has been Kris Jenkins so far. What a huge difference he has had on the defensive line for the Jets. The Jets are 5th in the league against the run, surrendering only 76 yards per game. BenJarvus Green-Ellis will be starting for the Patriots this week and he is coming off a 105 yard rushing performance against a good Buffalo Bills defense. The Jets should be able to limit him and force Cassel to beat him with his arm. New York needs to keep constant pressure on him and force him to make mistakes. They had constant pressure on Marc Bulger and Trent Green last week and Trent Edwards the week before. They caused big turnovers that they turned into scores. Abram Elam had an interception return for a touchdown and Calvin Pace had a fumble return for a touchdown the past two weeks.

The bottom line is the Jets have to win this game to establish them-selves as a force in the AFC. This is a game that they went out and got Favre, Pace, Jenkins, Damien Woody, Alan Faneca and now Law. This is a great rivalry in the NFL and I would expect both teams to come out with guns blazing. The main key's for the Jets is just to keep pressuring Cassel and take advantage of his mistakes and for Favre to limit his mistakes and recapture some of the old "Favre magic". The Jets finally get over the hump and take this one on the road by a 28-17 score.